The highlight of my Winter quarter so far (aside from meeting my LCS peers!) has been reading Leland’s documentation of the stories told by several elders in his book, Happiness Is a Choice You Make. The wisdom the elders bring to the conversation surrounding life, happiness, and death are so dear and heartfelt to me, that I am slightly afraid to finish the book in fear of what the coming chapters will reveal if the elders have passed. Even so, from the first half of the book, one of the main takeaways I received is the importance of connection, gratitude, and acceptance for our overall well-being. I also really like the relationship between Helen and Howie, described as a balanced give-and-take situation, where needs are requested, given, and fulfilled by both partners in different, nurturing ways. Attached is a photo of the two of them. I find myself wondering what kind of life I will be living in sixty years, which feels like a lifetime away since the chaos of living in the present moment is overwhelming enough! I can’t remember which class or reading this was brought up in, but the question that asked us to imagine ourselves in the future, and to create the paths that will lead us to that life – I hope that by the time spring comes, I’ll have a better idea of what kind of path and community that I’ll be creating for myself. By coincidence, my mom asked me a few days ago why she was getting bags under her eyes, and whether it was a result of her wearing glasses. I was surprised and wasn’t sure how to answer, but then she continued and considered the bags as a sign of aging, feeling sad that it seemed inevitable as she grew older. Although ageist attitudes and marketing contribute to negative connotations associated with the aging process, I was more upset at my lack of response, reassurance, and recognition of her concerns. I want to be able to validate her feelings, but also comfort her that it’s okay to be growing older and ~wiser~ (although I’m not sure how comforting that may be to hear).
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Shina Luu Shina Luu is a General Biology and Global Health double major from Escondido, CA. She Archives
March 2022
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